Eat your way free of depression

What you eat can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. Find out what nutrients you need and where can you get them?

Most people recognise that eating a balanced diet is important for physical health. But, what you eat can equally have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing.

A sustained poor diet can lead to depression, a leading cause of disability worldwide.

Expert nutritionist Salma Khan gives tips about which foods can help beat the blues and why. Your menu plan could make a big difference to the lightness of your mood.

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Some evidence shows that a Mediterranean diet can reduce the likelihood of depression – and certainly the right mix of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fats are directly linked to your emotional wellbeing.

So what nutrients do you need and where can you get them?

Essential fatty acids

Research has shown that Mediterranean countries have reduced rates of depression and suicide in contrast to northern Europe.

One reason is because the Mediterranean diet consists of higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids – including monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and polyunsaturated fats found in oily fish.

These essential fatty acids can help manage the symptoms associated with depression, as well as to look after long-term mental health.

Researchers in Finland reported that eating fish (a good source of omega 3) can reduce the likelihood of suffering from depression by 31 per cent.

In addition, getting enough omega 3 in your diet may have a calming effect, helping to make the brain more responsive to the effects of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin, which could make you less likely to feel blue.

Food sources

Not only is omega-3 found in oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon and sardines, but it's also found in organic eggs, walnuts, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds and their oils.

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Avoiding modern day processed fats known as trans or hydrogenated fat is also important.

This means not eating processed foods, such as ready-made cakes, biscuits, margarine and deep fried food.

These foods all contain damaged fats that can prevent the uptake of beneficial fatty acids (the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) and as a result affect brain health.

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Blood glucose balance

In order to maintain stable moods, the brain needs a steady supply of glucose.

So, those suffering from depression (and those who are prone to it) should try to eat regularly – every 3 to 4 hours – making sure to get a bit of protein each time.

Blood glucose balance can also be managed by opting for complex carbohydrates that release energy from food slowly.

Complex carbohydrates have the added benefit of helping to increase the brains production of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin. This results in a calmer, happier state of mind with less anxiety.

Food sources

Good dietary sources of protein are meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts, beans, lentils or a meat substitute for vegetarians.

For complex carbohydrates try to get a good mix of vegetables, beans, pulses, wholegrain bread, pasta and rice.

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In addition, limiting white flour and refined sugar intake is helpful since these can cause sudden surges and slumps in blood sugar, triggering symptoms of depression.

Interestingly, consuming caffeine and smoking cigarettes can also disturb blood glucose control – it's therefore best to avoid too much of these stimulants.

A change in diet can lead to withdrawal symptoms, so try to reduce consumption gradually, cutting down on sugar and caffeine rather than going cold turkey.

Amino acids

Insufficient levels of the amino acid tryptophan in the diet can result in depression.

The body uses tryptophan to make serotonin – one of the most important neurotransmitters affecting mood, as well as to make the hormone melatonin which helps regulate sleep.

Food sources

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Another amino acid tyrosine can help reduce symptoms of depression as well as prevent feeling the blues in the first place.

Tyrosine is used to make the hormone adrenaline – low levels of which have been associated with depression.

Tyrosine is found in tofu, cottage cheese, turkey and green leafy vegetables like seaweed and spinach.

Vitamins and minerals

Brain chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, which include serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine, influence the way we feel and conduct ourselves and can be affected by what we eat.

Low levels of most vitamins and minerals can affect brain health and cause depression, but particularly important are the B vitamins and vitamin C.

Vitamin C (found commonly in fruit and vegetables) has a calming effect on all of the body’s processes and is also required for the conversion of tryptophan into feel-good serotonin.

Certain deficiencies in B vitamins have been linked to depression – serotonin production can actually be hindered by low B vitamin levels. Important B vitamins to look out for include folate, vitamins B3, B6 and B12.

Food sources

However, B vitamins can be destroyed by the consumption of alcohol, white sugar, caffeine and nicotine contained in tobacco – therefore minimising or avoiding these items could have an additional benefit.

Good to know

Aside from vitamin deficiencies, low levels of minerals, such as zinc and magnesium, have been found in people suffering from depression.

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